Hey there folks from the dazzling San Francisco Bay Area! Let me share an intriguing piece of information with you today. A team of whiz kids at Google’s Threat Analysis Group are currently on the heels of more than 270 government-backed cyber culprits. They’re literally operating out of more than 50 countries across the globe. It’s indeed high-tech espionage at its best!
Don’t be fooled by the wide array of tactics they employ. These sly foxes not only draw out and execute sophisticated cyber espionage operations, but they’re also crafty at launching disinformation campaigns.
Keeping their bullseye on the mark, the Google team identifies and counters deceptive operations launched by such groups. Their favorite means of assault? Well, they love sending phishing emails. And you know what the best part is? The moment an email from one of these sneaky groups lands in your Gmail, you’re immediately alerted.
The figures have been staggering this year. Our folks at Google have shot out more than 50,000 warnings! That is indeed a sharp hike of nearly 33% from last year. The reason behind the sudden rise? A major campaign orchestrated by a Russian actor tagged as APT28, or more notoriously known as, Fancy Bear!
But it’s not just APT28 making all the racket. There’s another group on the block, APT35 or ‘Charming Kitten’. Operating under a host of aliases like Newscaster, Ajax Security Team, Phosphorus, and Group 83, they’re believed to be pawns of the Iranian government. Their past exploits include hacking accounts, unleashing malware and inventing unique techniques to carry out espionage, all to uphold the agenda of the Iranian government.
They’ve left little off their hit list, even orchestrating phishing emails pretending to portray major political conferences. But that’s not all. They have even unleashed a VPN app infested with spyware onto the Google Play Store. Shameless, isn’t it?
This year proved to be another feather in their cap. The group infiltrated the website of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at the University of London. They seized it and used it as a bait to set their phishing trap. Next, they started dispatching emails with links to the compromised site in an attempt to pilfer credentials from platforms like Gmail, Hotmail, and Yahoo. Sounds like a suspense-filled action thriller right?
Fortunately, Google’s vigilantes don’t rest. They remain a step ahead, ensuring that users are well-equipped to safeguard themselves against such threats. So, the next time you receive an invite to a fake webinar, be wary. If it requests for second-factor authentication codes, you might be looking at a well-constructed electronic trap. Stay sharp!
In this exciting era of digital automated convenience, evil inked surprises lurk in the corners. Remember to practice safe browsing habits and maintain your digital hygiene with regular check-ups. After all, we’ve got the fabulous folk at Google keeping a watchful eye out on all things cyber! Keeps things interesting, doesn’t it?
by Morgan Phisher | HEAL Security
